Delivering clarity through precision

Mark Anderson

Director

Mark didn’t just stumble into surveying; he practically came out of the womb with a level in one hand and a theodolite in the other. One of the very few people on Earth born wanting to be a surveyor, his fascination with measurement began somewhere between building dens and obsessively making sure every surface around him was perfectly level.

Some say his origins in that part of Newcastle hint at Geordie nobility, based on the posh postcode of his birth, but Mark’s never been one for titles unless it’s “Most Likely to Set Up a Control Network in His Sleep.”

After working his way from the muddy boots up, Mark’s Directorship brings a practical, disciplined, and straight-talking approach to modern surveying. Today, he combines decades of hands-on site experience with the kind of technical depth that makes even Einstein’s notebook look a bit rushed.

Mark is the type of leader who can still outpace the newest tech when it comes to field intuition, and while he’s well-versed in GNSS, LiDAR, Structural Health Monitoring, and just about every acronym in the industry, his true strengths lie in people, precision, and problem-solving. Whether mentoring the next generation of surveyors or finding the cleanest line through a complicated site, Mark leads with humour, humility and an eye for detail that’s second to none.

Off the clock, you’ll still find him talking shop, probably while trying to “just quickly” fix a patio level that’s been bothering him since 2012.

Anthony Lawton

Director

Raised on the windswept coastal frontiers of Sunderland, Anthony is a man forged in sea breeze, stubborn optimism, and a lifelong commitment to red and white stripes, provided Sunderland AFC are behaving themselves. If not? He calmly shifts his emotional investment to cricket and, when that inevitably goes sideways too, you’ll find him on the golf course searching for inner peace (and his ball). But never rugby. There are standards.

As Director of Academy Geomatics Ltd, Anthony has a rare gift: the ability to turn surveying chaos into calm, delivering smart, structured workflows out of what most would consider “total logistical anarchy.” Whether it’s a sewer or a floodplain in biblical conditions, Anthony will find a way to make it measurable, manageable and mapped before lunch.

With a background that spans utility mapping and high-precision geospatial wizardry, Anthony brings both technical know-how and old-school problem-solving grit. He’s the one you call when everyone else and a solution must be found.

Known for his sharp mind, dry humour, and unshakable work ethic, Anthony is a true leader in the field (and quite often, literally in a field).

Mark Atkinson

Survey Director

Born into an era when air rifles and catapults were considered wholesome Christmas gifts, Mark grew up on the Gateshead fells, a land patrolled by packs of playful delinquents and aspiring motocross champions. Among them, Mark could usually be found elbow-deep in his latest Kawasaki project, covered in grease, grinning and proudly sporting the black and white of Newcastle United.

Decades later, not much has changed. The bikes are shinier and NUFC actually have something to shine again but Mark’s passion burns just as brightly, now channelled into the world of high-precision surveying. As Survey Director at Academy Geomatics Ltd, he brings a no-nonsense, boots-on-the-ground approach that blends old-school discipline with modern geospatial tech.

Mark is as passionate about “getting it bang on” as he is about the Toon Army. Whether it’s laying down flawless control, refining a laser scan to perfection, or mentoring a new recruit on how not to lose their prism in a bog, Mark leads with clarity, consistency and a canny dose of Geordie humour (even though, strictly speaking, he isn’t a proper Geordie).

With an instinctive understanding of terrain, tools, and teamwork Mark’s presence on a job guarantees that things will be done properly and probably quicker than expected.

If you’re lucky enough to catch him outside of work, he’s likely either cheering at St. James’ Park, tuning something with wheels or shaking his head at a wonky fence line… with a laser level in his back pocket, just in case.

Jen Cordes

Senior Project Manager

From the bustling Fish Quay of North Shields to the hallowed halls of Durham University and back again, Jen has been on a journey not unlike that of a certain well-fed Hobbit. While there may not have been dragons or rings involved, there was most definitely a love of food, a knack for logistics and the creation of scones so divine they earned her the formidable street name “Jenny the Scone.”

But don’t be fooled by the sweetness, Jen runs projects with military precision. As Project Manager at Academy Geomatics Ltd, she’s the calm in the chaos, the schedule whisperer and the one who somehow always knows where everyone and everything is…even when the GNSS doesn’t.

Whether it’s managing complex sewer surveys, juggling tight Revit modelling timelines or coaxing deliverables out of stubborn data, Jen is the linchpin that keeps our teams on time, on budget and just the right amount of caffeinated. She’s got a sixth sense for potential snags before they happen and an uncanny ability to translate technical jargon into plain English (and vice versa).

Surveyors may be the ones capturing the data but Jen’s the one making sure it all gets done, gets signed off and gets to the client without drama, delays or a single mislabelled file.

When she’s not keeping projects moving like a well-oiled total station you’ll find her baking, brunching or politely demolishing you in a team quiz with obscure knowledge about pastry, pipelines or parliamentary history.

Lucy Dixon

Junior Project Manager

Born and bred in the wilds of Northumberland, where the tea’s strong and the opinions stronger, Lucy brings a healthy dose of Northern grit and geospatial charm to her role as Junior Project Manager at Academy Geomatics Ltd.

Surveying is in her blood, quite literally, having grown up watching her dad (a respected legend in the field, and not just because he carries a tripod like a Viking axe) map out the land with precision and passion. It wasn’t long before Lucy was swapping bedtime stories for boundary lines and cartwheels for contour maps.

These days she’s juggling projects like a true pro, field book in one hand and coffee in the other, all while keeping things on track, under budget and preferably not sinking into a peat bog. Known for her no-nonsense attitude, sharp wit and an uncanny ability to find a benchmark in the middle of nowhere, Lucy is as dependable as a fixed station and twice as entertaining.

Still proudly flying the Northumberland flag (and occasionally correcting your pronunciation of “Cambois”), she’s carving her own path in the geomatics world – one perfectly level line at a time.

Percy Cabbab

Operations Manager

From distant shores to the rugged beauty of the North East, Percy’s journey to becoming Operations Manager at Academy Geomatics reads like an epic – one that includes engineering expertise, a suitcase full of languages and a subplot involving the great British weather.

Having seemingly mastered every language known to man (and possibly a few forgotten by now), Percy eventually settled in the UK with his family, enriching our cultural melting pot with not just his experience but his energy and enthusiasm for all things technical.

With a solid foundation in the engineering side of surveying, Percy is as fluent with figures as Shakespeare was with words – though you’re more likely to hear him reciting Bowditch’s Rule than iambic pentameter.

Whether he’s overseeing complex operations, coordinating teams or untangling underground chaos, Percy brings calm, clarity and a laser focus to everything he does. His knack for precision, combined with his global perspective, makes him an invaluable part of the Academy Geomatics crew.

Charismatic, meticulous and powered by spreadsheets and sheer brilliance, Percy’s not just managing operations – he’s elevating them.

Lorraine Brown

Office Manager

Lorraine Brown hails from that curious in-between place known as Gateshead – where no one’s ever quite sure if they’re Geordie or Mackem. It likely depends on which pit your great-great-great-great-grandfather toiled in, and whether you say “Ha’way” or “Howay”.

As Office Manager, Lorraine is the quietly brilliant force that keeps the wheels turning and the surveyors (mostly) pointing in the right direction. She takes the varied skill sets of the team and aligns them with the grace and precision of someone who’s probably restructured more filing systems than most of us have had hot dinners.

If it needs organising, coordinating, chasing up or calming down, Lorraine’s already on it – clipboard in one hand, kettle just boiled in the other. She’s got a sharp eye for detail and the sort of professional patience only developed through years of managing diaries, deadlines, and Monday mornings.

Not quite Geordie, not quite Mackem – but absolutely vital to the heartbeat of Academy Geomatics.

Obi

Chief Morale Officer

With ears as floppy as his work ethic and a tail that never stops wagging, Obi the Cocker Spaniel is our beloved Chief Morale Officer – and, quite frankly, the only member of the team who gets away with napping on the job.

A vital part of the Academy Geomatics crew, Obi specialises in boosting spirits, hoovering up biscuit crumbs and providing emotional support in the form of soulful stares and unexpected zoomies. When he’s not charming visitors or demanding belly rubs, he can usually be found rolling in things he absolutely shouldn’t or attempting to eat something that definitely isn’t food.

He takes his duties very seriously – unless his owner’s out at meetings, in which case all bets are off. Expect chaos, full on speed laps of the office, barking bouts to garner attention and possibly the mysterious disappearance of a sandwich or two.

Loyal, lovable and just the right amount of mischievous, Obi is the four-legged heart of the office. He may not know much about surveying, but he knows exactly when you need a wagging tail and a wet nose to get through the day.